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Has the Prime Minister rescued us from economic catastrophe or did economic catastrophe rescue the Prime Minister from us? Well, one thing is certain, the colossal collapse of the banking system couldn’t have come soon enough for Mr Brown.

Less than a month ago Gordon looked a beleaguered, baggy eyed figure as calls for his head came from old friends and new foe alike. Today he looks distinctly less beleaguered.

And what a remarkable turn around! Mr Brown’s fortunes have turned astonishingly quickly and completely. Indeed, one school of conspiracy theorists are claiming the meltdown was triggered from the Treasury to implement Brown’s secret strategy for nationalisation.

Another school claims the PM’s PR machine plotted the panic to stage Gordon’s ‘mother of all comebacks’ when earlier attempts failed! Others of us are just hoping he’s the right man in the right place at the right time. But even if it was a scam, we’d have to conclude it was a masterstroke, right up there with Oceans 11! Who knows, by this time next year it could be a Hollywood blockbuster staring Keanu Reeves as Gordon Brown.

Let’s be honest, we had all come to doubt the existence of Gordon’s ‘clunking fist.’ After all, in our image obsessed age we look for form over substance. Being able to talk the talk is, in prosperous peacetime, prized more highly that being able to walk the walk. But hands up for who wants Mr Milliband now!

The near nationalisation of five high street British banks is unprecedented and it’s too soon to tell what the result will be. But what we do know now is that Gordon’s got a clunking fist and boy how it clunks! The tremors have been felt everywhere with the epicentre right in the bank bosses bonuses. Half the world looks on in stunned wonderment while the other half falls in and follows suit. And that’s what I call ‘clunking!’

Yes, it concerns me that my savings are now in the hands of the state. Although, that’s hardly more worrying than having my money managed by the mythical hidden hand of the market or the sticky fingers of greedy City fat-cats.

It is, after all, the bankers that got us into this mess in the first place. But we consumers have to take stock too. Yes, we were tempted and too many of us caved in and borrowed more than we could afford. Credit was too easily available and while the good times rolled many of us got carried away. However, if Gordon’s bank buyout works, the credit tap might be turned on again, to a more responsible trickle. And as I’ve now been made part owner of five banks, I’d like to think this time there’ll only be credit where credit is due.